Beyond Blood
by EkhidnaWrites
Summary: Twenty-five years in prison is a long time for anyone. Maybe less for an Alicorn-Blood, but a lot of things can happen in a quarter of a century. Like finding out an adopted nephew. Will Luna be able to come to terms with her inner demons? Perhaps with the aid of her new nephew she can. All characters are humanized and of legal age! Commissioned Story.


**Beyond Blood**

"It hasn't changed one bit," Luna Solaris said as the jeep her older sister, Celestia Solaris, was driving entering the outer limits of their residence.

"Of course it has changed here and there, Luna. I had it expanded a little twice and I added a few rooms, a swimming pool, and a cinema. The only things that haven't changed at all are your room and wing," Celestia replied with her characteristic warm smile.

"Even after twenty-five years?" Luna asked, surprised.

"Even after twenty-five years," Celestia reassured.

"...Thank you, sister," Luna said smiling at her older sister.

Luna leaned back on her seat as her eyes wandered to what laid outside her window. Her smile remained as she saw the ponds, the ducks and the geese, the trees (taller and more lively than the last time she saw them), the water fountains, the gardens. Everything looked exactly as it had ever looked.

Her eyes traveled to the side cautiously, barely glancing at her elder sister. Despite being nearly a hundred years old, relatively a young adult by Alicorn-Bloods, Luna couldn't deny that her sister was beautiful. Her caucasian skin, leaning on a fair white tone, was perfectly healthy and smooth without a sign of aging. Her stature, unnaturally tall even for Alicorn-Bloods, turned her to an imposing mountain of a woman standing at seven feet eight inches tall. Adding to that her near-perfect physique, her well-toned somewhat muscular body, her natural strength, her always welcoming and amiable personality, her long multi-colored hair, and possessing a beauty any woman would happily kill for, Luna had to admit her sister was a Goddess in all but name.

_Except for one thing_, Luna thought bitterly as her eyes focused on the nasty, ugly, ghastly series of scars running across the middle of her face. They started from the left side of her forehead, ran across her face passing over the bridge of her nose, her right eye, her right cheek, and ending in a deep gash below her jaw at the start of her neck.

'**That's your fault, and you know it.**'

_Shut up. I don't want to hear anything from you. Not now, not today_, Luna replied bitterly, nearly spitting with contempt.

'**Oh, please, tell me I'm lying! That scar is the proof of what you did and how weak you were**'.

_I said shut up!_ Luna spat angrily.

'**We both know she hates you because of it. Suuuuure, she says she doesn't blame you and that she loves you. But we know better, now do we?**'

_Go away, please, I don't want to deal with this today_, Luna pleaded.

'**Are you seriously begging right now? What happened to 'The Meanest Bitch'? You are pathetic.**'

_If I could kill you, I would_, Luna threatened with all the hatred she could muster.

'**Wouldn't be the first time~**'

"Luna?"

Luna blinked and noticed that not only had the jeep stopped, but that they were at the front of the mansion and Celestia was looking at her worriedly.

"...S-Sorry, sister. It seems I got lost in my own thoughts," Luna said hurriedly. Then she looked at the mansion. "It looks just like the last time I saw it! You really didn't change anything!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"Luna."

Luna flinched at the serious tone her older sister rarely used. Turning to face her, she didn't find a stern expression, but rather a tired, sorrowful expression. Her shining magenta-colored eyes looking intently into her cyan ones.

"Don't you think it's time for you to forgive yourself already?" Celestia asked in a sad tone.

"How can I forgive myself with that thing running across your face?" Luna remarked eyeing the offending scar. "It's my fault… I did that to you, Celestia… I trust you… but I still wonder...How is it possible that can you forgive me so easily? I fear… I fear that-"

"That I hate you deep down?" Celestia interrupted.

Luna sighed in defeat, too tired to put any sort of excuse. "Yes. How could you not? Nothing will ever fix that… that thing… or what I did..."

"You are as stubborn as mother used to be," Celestia chuckled shooking her head. "What you did you did out of necessity. And this?" Celestia ran her fingers across her face. "How many times have I told you that this is nothing to me? It's a scar. Nothing more. It was a simple accident," Celestia said reaching for Luna's hands.

"Many, many times, sister," Luna brought both sets of hands up to her lips, kissing the knuckles of her sister. "You're too good to me, Tia," she glanced at the mansion. "I don't know how long it will take me to re-adapt to a life outside the prison. Gods, have I told you how strange it feels to be out of that orange jumpsuit?"

Celestia giggled. "Come, Luna, let's get you home."

Luna nodded. "Let's."

Letting go of her sister's hands, Luna stepped out of the jeep and stretched. While her sister tended to favor summer dresses, like the opal-colored one she was currently wearing, and the occasional jean or pants paired with a t-shirt, Luna preferred shorts, sports pants, loose shirts, and sneakers like what she was wearing at the moment.

While she wasn't as tall as her sister, Luna still stood at an impressive six feet four inches tall. Her skin, leaning to a more ivory white tone, was hardly as healthy as her sister's; it was a bit coarse, dry, and unkempt… much like her poor hair. While she had been allowed to keep her two-toned blue hair just past prison regulations, there was simply no way to properly take care of it.

"Nothing a few months of treatment won't fix… hopefully," Luna sighed pulling out her luggage from the back of the keep consisting of a small suitcase and a backpack. Unlike her sister's peek-performance body, her's had a more lithe, almost petite look to it despite her height. Though she would never admit it to anyone, she was thankful that the prison had some decent gym equipment for recreational activities.

"Ohhh, I'm so excited, Lulu!" Celestia cheered clapping her hands together, jumping on her short-heels like a little girl. "There's so much you have to see! Remember the letters I sent you or when I came for a visit? I can't wait to show you my favorite movies and shows, you are absolutely going to love Gravity and Interstellar! And I'm not even gotten to the animated shows or music!"

"Seems like the world was quite busy while I was away," Luna chuckled seeing her sister so excited after so many years. "One of my companions, the recent ones, talked about something called video-games. I've heard a few things here and there, but I'm kinda curious about trying those," Luna admitted as both sisters walked over to the entrance. Luna waited as Celestia opened the doors. Once inside, Luna took a deep breath.

"Home sweet home," Luna breathed out.

"Spike, we're home!" Celestia called, her voice lightly echoing across the halls.

"Spike?" Luna asked looking at her sister. "When did you get a pet, Tia?"

"Spike is not my pet, Lulu. You'll see," Celestia said slyly. "He's been really excited to meet you."

"Sisteeeer?" Luna asked quizzically. "What are you talking about?"

Luna's question was answered the next moment as she heard a series of hurried steps coming from above the central staircase rushing down. A few moments later a small figure, by their standards, made itself present at the top of the staircase. As the figure stepped down with excited but controlled ease, Luna was able to notice a few things.

The boy, there were no doubts about that, has messy green hair, a shade of skin one or two steps above her own with an almost milky-looking softness, his height was about five feet two inches tall, and his eyes were that of a beautiful emerald green. She also noticed, as the boy rushed to the kneeling Celestia, that the boy lacked round irises. They were slits.

_A Dragon-Blood?_ Luna asked herself a moment before Celestia and the boy Embraced in a tight, loving hug.

"Welcome back, Mom," Spike said in a caring yet formal tone before kissing Celestia's cheek.

"Mommy missed you a lot, too, Spikey!" Celestia returned the kiss before she hugged her boy tighter.

Luna was dumbfounded watching the exchange. Her mind was devoid of thought; unable to process what was happening before her very eyes even after Celestia ended the embrace and turned to her.

"Spike, darling, I want you to meet your Auntie Luna," Celestia said warmly.

Luna stared as the boy, Spike, stepped in front of her, made sure that his matching set of purple-colored shirt, shorts, socks, and sneakers were clean, and then made a respectful bow.

"P-Pleased to meet you, Aunt Luna," Spike said somewhat shyly but kept his formal tone nonetheless. "My name is Spike Solaris," he finished by looking up to her and stretching a hand to her.

"P-Pleased to meet you too, Spike!" Luna muttered with a forced smile as she grabbed his hand and shook it a few times. "Uhmm, Spike? Could you excuse your Mom and I for a moment?" She asked letting go of his hand and walking to her sister, grabbing her arm and pulling her away.

"Of course. Take your time!" Spike exclaimed waving a hand at them. He then crossed his arms behind his back and began to hum.

"Isn't he precious, Luna!?" Celestia squealed, a pleased blush crossing her face and her eyes gleaming with love, pride, and joy.

"Okay. When and how?" Luna said ignoring her sister's gush over her boy. "And why in the blazes of Hell am I learning of this now!?"

"Surprise!" Celestia replied doing a short-lived jazz hands.

Luna simply glared at her elder sister.

Celestia coughed. "Okay… to be fair, I thought it would be funny. Do you know how hard it was to not talk to you about him for twenty years?"

"TWENTY YEARS!?" Luna shouted shaking her sister. "What were you thinking when you decided to keep that kind of secret for twenty damn years!? I know dad used to call you Pranklestia, but c'mon!"

"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!" Celestia pleaded as Luna shook her.

Luna stopped and rubbed her templates. "Alright, straight from the top. When and how? Who is the father? Pleeeease tell me you're not hiding a secret husband on your closet," Luna asked crossing her arms. Luna's anger relinquished when she saw Celestia's face lose her humoristic spirit. "Is it a touchy subject?"

Celestia shook her head. "No, Lulu," Celestia leaned to watch Spike, still waiting for them, from behind the doorframe. A smile returning to her face. "It's quite… simple, really."

Luna arched an eyebrow in response.

"No, really, it is," Celestia closed her eyes. "It happened twenty years two months and six days and nineteen hours ago-"

"Seriously? Even the hours?" Luna remarked.

"-Hush, you. As I was saying, the day it happened was a normal workday like any other. That day I parked my car a bit further away so I had to take a slight detour after I got out of the office. Everything was fine until I heard the faint crying of a baby, of all things."

Luna nodded, listening to her sister's tale.

"I thought it was my imagination, but then I heard it again so I began searching for the source of it. It didn't take me long to find it, or rather to find him," Celestia opened her eyes and Luna was marbled at just how shiny they were. "There he was, wrapped in a torn blanket, left inside a trash can like a piece of garbage, abandoned. I tried to find anyone responsible nearby, but no one knew the baby. So I took him with me."

Luna was about to say something when she noticed the glimmer in her eyes shift to a deep, burning hatred. One that she would've never believed could come from her elder sister had she not seen it herself.

"T-To think… to think! That someone so monstrous could exist as to abandon a mere baby… in a trash can of all places! I… I felt so much anger and so much pity… Luna, when I came home I cried myself to sleep with him wrapped in my arms. He was so little, so fragile, so lonely. A poor, defenseless baby abandoned by creatures I refuse to call humans," Celestia said, her hands clamped into fists, shaking with rage.

"And you… adopted him out of pity?" Luna questioned but Celestia shook her head.

"I tried for weeks, Luna. I tried to find his real parents, but I found nothing. And I really tried. Private investigators, old contacts, friends of our parents… but nothing. It was like Spike had just poofed into existence. The only clue I ever found was that he was born in the Caldera Hospital Center… but aside from that, nothing else. He… He didn't even have a _**name**_…"

Luna felt an icy shudder course through her spine from simply hearing the loathing fury barely repressed inside her sister's heart. "Then what?" She managed to ask.

"..." Celestia looked at Spike still waiting for them once more. "I am his mother, Luna," Celestia said bluntly as if it was an unshakable truth of the world. "I changed his diapers. I fed him. I raised him. I educated him," Celestia smiled warmly. "I had to learn so many things just for him, for my Spike. I loved him, unlike the heartless monsters that threw him aside as if he was nothing but excrement," she gritted her teeth. "And he taught me how to be a mother and showed me the joy of raising a baby. My baby boy," she turned to Luna again.

Luna was speechless at the beaming pride and joy Celestia reflected. "I see… and the authorities? Why didn't you report him to them?"

'**Look at what you caused. Thanks to that scar she had to conform herself with a little monster. No man has ever approached her and thanks to you she will never have a family of her own.**'

Luna didn't reply but she was able to push back against the voice with her concealed fury. "They could've done something, right?"

"And let a Dragon-Blood be placed on an orphanage and from there being shuffled around on horrible foster homes? Absolutely not. Not with the kind of blind prejudice and deaf stupidity many have of them. No. That was never an option for me after the first two weeks I spent with MY baby," Celestia placed a hand over Luna's shoulder. "I know I sound hypocritical, Luna. Why do this for Spike and not for others? I know I can't fix the world on my own, and I know I can't save everyone. But him? My Spike? At least I was able to save him," Celestia then kissed Luna's forehead making her blush. "Just as you saved me, little sister."

"Shoddy work I did," Luna breathed out. "So, if you didn't report him to the authorities, how did, you know, adopt him?"

"The authorities were more than happy to forward all the necessary information I needed to adopt 'a street urchin'. Since he was never under the care of the state, legally speaking, I am, by law, his real mother," Celestia looked at Spike once more. "And I am eternally grateful for that."

Luna couldn't help but smile at Celestia's palpable happiness. "Well, if it helps, I'm happy that he's okay and that you are happy with him," Luna sighed. "I'll stay only for a few weeks until I get my bearings, then I'll get a job somewhere and-"

"Silly Luna, didn't I tell you that you'll live with me? I'm not about to throw my sister out of her own home," Celestia said crossing her arms.

"But you have Spike. I'll just get in the way," Luna stopped as Celestia put a finger on her lips. "Zhefesria?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You could never get in the way, Luna. We are family and family sticks together," Celestia smiled. "Now come! We're going to unpack your things and go out for your celebratory party, and I know just the place!"

Luna wanted to protest, but her rumbling stomach won her to the punch and then she knew it would be futile at best to resist her sister. So, after letting out a defeated sigh, she spoke. "Some actual real food sounds nice right about now. Hopefully, my sense of taste is still intact."

With their talk done, Luna and Celestia walked over to Spike. A short explanation later, the boy followed the two sisters.

_So I'm an Aunt now? This isn't going to be easy, right?_ Luna thought to herself as she looked down at Spike, who was beaming a smile to her in turn.

'**Try to give him a matching scar as his Mom's~**'

She gave him a wide smiled while clenching a hand tightly.

"You have to what?" Luna asked while watching her sister pack up her stuff in her jeep.

"I have to go out for a week-long trip," Celestia answered closing the trunk of the jeep. "I got called like two hours ago and I barely had time to pack up my things," she explained.

"But why now? Why so suddenly?" Luna asked with Spike standing at her side wearing his usual clothes.

"Apparently some would-be usurper by the name of Chrysalis tried to impersonate our niece, Cadance, to steal actions and wring Shining Armor from her embrace. They need me to solve the former problem while Cadance and Twilight deal with the later," Celestia explained tiredly.

"Mom, do you need my help?" Spike asked worriedly.

"No, sweetie, but thanks," she walked over to Spike and dropped to a knee. "Be sure to do all your homework and read all your lessons, okay?"

"Of course, Mom," Spike kissed her on the cheek and Celestia returned the gesture. "Say hi to everyone for me, okay?"

"Of course, honey. Be strong for me?" Celestia asked gaining a thumb up from her son. She smiled brightly and then stood up turning to Luna. "Take good care of Spike, please?"

"I'll do my best, Tia," Luna replied nodding. She then stood as her older sister entered her jeep and turn the ignition key. Within moments Aunt and nephew watched the jeep reach the entrance gates and instants later vanish down the road.

"Do you want some breakfast, Aunt Luna?" Spike asked smiling at the taller woman.

"I would love to," she replied wearing her baggy pajamas still.

The two returned inside the mansion with Spike taking the lead to the kitchen. Luna followed closely behind as smiled at the noticeable skip in his steps. When they reached the ample dinner room Luna sat at the table while Spike went into the kitchen. Luna heard the rustling of utensils and ingredients needed for a few moments and then the telltale sound of eggs cracking.

"Hard to believe he is a Dragon-Blood," Luna chuckled weakly. And it was true. Spike acted, thought, and carried himself like no other Dragon-Blood she ever knew or heard about. Sure, there here a few here and there that broke the stereotype of them being dull-headed, criminal, good-for-nothing, thieving barbarians. She had been honestly amazed at how Spike behaved. She had to admit that Celestia had been doing a terrific job as a single mother. And watching Spike made it hard to believe he was already twenty years old.

By law, he was an adult; he even had his own credential, driving license and even a military card for basic training. But thanks to Dragon-Blood's unique physiology and slow development, he still looked and, for the most part, acted a lot younger than he really was. A fact the reflected in his own studies. Before going for a homeschooling method, Celestia had tried a few times to enroll him into regular schools, but those efforts had backfired spectacularly. Being technically older than his peers proved difficult and Spike had been bullied terribly because of it.

Until he broke the arm of one of his bullies for insulting Celestia.

Luna sighed. "So there are a few things that can't be helped no matter what, blood or not, huh?"

'**Well well well, we might have another murderer in the family.**'

"Shut up!" Luna hissed shaking her head.

"Did you say anything, Aunt Luna?" Spike asked peering his head from within the kitchen.

"No, Spike. I was just talking to myself," Luna said waving offhandedly.

"Oh, okay! I'm almost done here. Do you want syrup or jelly?"

"Jelly, if you don't mind," Luna replied.

That was another thing she had come to admired about the little guy. He was very approachable and patient, helpful and mindful, lovable and loyal to a fault. Sure, he could be snarky, grumpy, be a bit of a wise-guy, and infuriatingly smug (much like his mother, she noted) whenever he had the advantage over anything. He could cook, clean like no-ones business, sew, organize, and write far better than she could ever hope to.

Indeed, no one could deny that Celestia had done her best and it showed.

_But there are some… oddities_, Luna thought. _Who would think that the outwardly prim and proper Celestia could be such a slouch when at home?_ And it was true. Celestia had turned, somehow, into a slouch during her absence. Well, not entirely, but the change had been noticeable from the very start of her so far one-month stay in the mansion.

For starters, she had come to notice that Celestia was also incredibly, endlessly, suffocatingly doting with Spike. At every chance she got and for whatever reason, no matter how trivial or minor, she would take it to hug, kiss, embrace, or simply be near him. Which would be fine and dandy given that she was his mother in other circumstances.

The problem was that Celestia no longer dressed formally or even casually if she had no intention of leaving the mansion for the day. So instead she wore a simple loose shirt if she felt like it, if not a simple bra would do, and panties despite her overly affection towards Spike. In fact, the young man seemed unfazed by it.

As for the night, she no longer used pajamas and slept wearing the same clothes she used for the day. Regarding the cleaning staff, she never left her room when they came once every three days for a quick service through the mansion. Meanwhile, her and Spike's rooms (and most recently hers), Spike took it upon himself to tidy them up.

But that was the mere tip of the iceberg. The day after her arrival they had taken a bath. Together. Celestia has later confirmed that they had always bathed together and that it felt 'lonely and empty' otherwise. And once or twice a week they would sleep together in her bed; in those night Luna would hear a few pained groans and grunts, but she had never asked anything about it.

'**So murder is fine but a mother and son being a little too close is where you draw the line? Talk about hypocrisy**.'

Luna rubbed her templates trying to drown the nagging voice in her mind when she noticed the delicious smell coming from the kitchen and her stomach grumbled. She licked her lips when she saw the stack of mouth-watering pancakes Spike was carrying. A stack of twenty pancakes was nothing to him. She knew that. She had seen him lift and carry a one hundred and fifty kilograms heavy wardrobe with ease.

"Give me! Give me!" Luna demanded before Spike placed ten whole pancakes on her plate. Luna immediately dug in. "Mmmmmffff! Sphike, you make zhe best pancakes efvher," Luna said with her mouth full, moaning in foodgasmic pleasure.

"Thanks, Aunt Luna, Mom says they're her favorite, too," Spike took a bite out of his stack. "Zhough zhe says that afvout anyzhing I cook for her," he said also talking with his mouth full.

The two of them ate the rest of their breakfast in silence. Luna offered to do the dishes while Spike went to check what he had to do for the day. Moments later he returned with Luna just finishing up with the dishes.

"Mmm, Aunt Luna, it seems I'm caught up with my studies," Spike fidgeted looking up expectantly. "Do you… want to do something together?"

Luna opened her mouth to decline her nephew's invitation, but nothing came out.

_My nephew… he's my nephew but we've barely spent time together…_

'**Better that way. He's better off without you and you know it.**'

_For once… you may be right… but… but I lost twenty years… twenty years without knowing I had such a cute and lovable nephew…_

'**You are going to regret it when he turns out just like you or worse.**'

_And you can go fuck yourself._

"Of course, Spike, do you know how to play Yu-Gi-Oh?" Luna asked as she put down the last dish.

Spike smiled.

"I didn't know you also played Yu-Gi-Oh… or that you would be so good at it," Luna muttered thinking on what move she was going to use next.

"I've had a lot of practice, Aunt Luna," Spike replied unable to suppress a tiny smirk.

"Aha! I think I got it. First, I flip-summon my monster to destroy your Angler of the Deep. Next, I use two tributes to summon the Creator! Now, I use his effect, so I send a monster card from my hand to Special Summon Jinzo!" Luna cheered. "I declare a direct attack to your life points, which sums up four thousand and seven hundred life points of damage. Which means you only have three hundred life points left!" Luna exclaimed excitedly. "Your turn, dear nephew!"

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk," Spike clicked shooking a finger with each click as he drew his starting-turn card. "You forget that I have the Heart of the Cards on my side, Aunt Luna, for you see," he looked at his hand and smiled. "I activate the Spell Card, Hand Destruction. Both of us discard two cards to draw two cards. Then I activate my other Spell Card, Power Bond. With it, I fuse my Ancient Gear Golem and two other Ancient Gear monsters to call forth the Ultimate Ancient Gear, and thanks to Power Bond, it has its attack doubled."

"Ha! Good try, nephew. But you activated my tra-" Luna started but stopped when she noticed her Jinzo on the field. "-aaaaawwww damn… No matter, I still have more than enough life points to withstand you, nephew."

"I know. That's why now I use Limiter Removal to duplicate the attack of my monster again!" Spike gave Luna a Celestia-approved smug smile. "I attack and deal fourteen thousand and five hundred damage. I win."

"Good play, Spike, good play," she extended a hand that Spike shook with gusto. "Is there anything you want to do now that you've sent me to the Shadow Realm?"

"I think I have something you might like, Auntie."

"Celestia lets you watch this?" Luna questioned pointing at the screen.

"It's one of her favorite movies!" Spike laughed. "It's kinda dumb, but that's what fun about it!"

"And you don't… mind the blood and the nudity?" Luna asked watching the display on the screen.

"Should I? Mom and I bathe together," Spike said shrugging. "Hey, Auntie, maybe you should join us next time or we can bathe together if you want! It's really fun and it makes washing you back so much easier."

Luna blushed doing a forced smile. "Maybe on another time, dear nephew," she returned her attention to the screen. "So… mind telling me why is Themistocles going to see Artemisa?"

"For a ceasefire, I think? But they end having se-"

"Let's watch something else!" Luna interrupted turning off the large TV.

"The left one! Bring down the left one!" Luna ordered.

"I'm trying, but they have me pinned!" Spike countered.

"Give me a second to - Ah! Airstrike incoming!"

"Thanks, Auntie. I have the RPG ready to fire aaaaaand launched!"

"Target destroyed!" They both cheered at the same time seeing the tank they were tasked to take down finally went up in flames.

"Oh man, I can't believe we actually pulled it off!" Luna said picking up her nephew and hugging him close.

"I know, right!? You won us the match, Auntie!" Spike praised.

Luna blushed and scratched her nose. "It was thanks to our teamwork, Spike. Without your artillery, we would've been lost in point C."

"And without your radio, we would've lost at point A, ahhhhhhh! That was a good play. I haven't this much fun in a long while!" Spike chanted. "Mom likes to play with me, but she's kinda bad at it. She likes more one-player games, especially RPG's. Don't tell her I told you, but she's crazy for the Kingdom Hearts games."

"I don't know those games yet. I've been out for only a month, after all," Luna replied letting go of Spike. "I can't believe how much the world changed while I was gone. When I was convicted computers were the size of rooms, and now they are the size of a book! There are so many movies and games and this internet thing! Frankly, it's amazing how things are today."

"I guess so," Spike shrugged. "I'm happy that you are free again, Auntie. I really wanted to meet you. Mom told me so much about you and she missed you so much," Spike grabbed one of Luna's hands and squeezed it. "But now she's very, very happy to have you again!"

'**Yeah, she missed you so much that she hid her adopted brat from you for twenty years.**'

"O...Ohh, did she… did she now?" Luna stammered. "Is there… what did she tell you about me, dear nephew?"

Spike mused his answer for a second or two. "She told me that you were his favorite person in the world. That you are funny and kind and a bit cranky but always caring and honest," Spike beamed at her. "And I think so too, Auntie."

Luna felt her heart skip a bit and her eyes moisten. "My darling nephew," Luna said before picking Spike once more and hugging him close; her breasts resting on his head. "You truly are a sweetheart," her smile slowly wavered as a nagging feeling formed in the back of her head. "Is there… is there anything else she told you about me?"

Spike remained silent for a few seconds. "That you went to prison because you killed some really, really bad people," he said slowly. "And that you gave her the scar in her face."

"...I… I see…"

'**See? She hates you deep down for what you-**'

"But that's okay," Spike continued. "You saved my Mom, your sister that day, Auntie. Mom told me you were scared and confused… just like I was scared and confused when I broke the arm of that idiot boy that said really mean things about my Mom," he said pressing himself back against her. "And thanks to you my Mom is alive… and I'm alive and I got to meet my Mom and live with her. Thank you, Auntie Luna."

"Spike…," Luna felt tears form in her eyes before she looked at the time. After spending an entire day of playing, reading comics, watching a few movies, and eating together she hadn't paid attention to the time at all, and now it was nearly midnight. "Hey, it's late. We should get ready for bed," she looked down at herself noticing she was still on her pajamas. "...I mean, YOU need to get ready for bed," Luna clarified letting go of the young man.

"Okay. Night, Auntie, today was really fun!" Spike said, then he rushed out of the room.

Now alone, Luna stood up and made her way tiredly to the bathroom. After using the toilet, she brushed her teeth and washed her face. When she looked up she saw her reflection: her bloody face, crazed eyes, disturbing smile, and holding a bat with pieces of glass encrusted into it.

'**Do you think that's enough to justify what you did?**' The reflection asked cynically.

"Of course not… but I think… I think it may be a good first step in the right direction," Luna replied, unfazed.

'**You know you're nothing but a murderer. Celestia and Spike would be better off with you stuck in that cell,**' the reflection spat.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. But I'm willing to take the chance to regain my life."

'**Regain your life? Aha ha ha ha! Don't delude yourself, Luna. What life are you talking about? You killed three killers in self-defense**,' the reflection formed an unnaturally wide smile. **'But the other four? They had already surrendered and they were helpless. Yet you murdered them in cold blood.**'

"Yes. I did."

'**And you enjoyed doing it after what they did to your parents. What they almost did to you and Celestia.**'

"Yes. I did."

'**And when Celestia tried to stop you, what did you do? You struck her in the face! Only then you stopped,**' the reflection's wide smile remained for several seconds until it slowly faded and morphed into an angry snarl. '**Why are you smiling, murderer?**'

"Because for the time in more than twenty-five years, I think Celestia was right… and I believe her when she said she's forgiven me for it. And now that I have Spike?" She closed her eyes allowing her tears to run across her cheeks. "I think I can finally start to forgive myself."

Luna reopened her eyes to see her reflection, this time showcasing her teary-eyed, wet face and messy hair. Using the sleeves of her pajamas, she dried off the tears and returned to her bedroom. She powered down the computers, hers and Spike's, and climbed into the bed. When she was about to turn off the light, Spike appeared in the doorway wearing his purple striped pajamas.

"C-Can I sleep with you tonight, Aunt Luna?" Spike said sheepishly. "My bones are aching, and that makes it hard for me to sleep. But Mom lets me sleep with her when they do. Ache, I mean. My bones," Spike blushed a little. "I-I can sleep alone, but with Mom, it doesn't hurt as much."

Luna smiled. "Hop on in, Spike," she said pulling aside her covers. She watched Spike climb on the bed and scurry his way next to her. "Comfy?"

"Very," Spike replied letting out a sigh.

Luna kissed his forehead and wrapped her arms around Spike. "Goodnight, my dear nephew."

"Goodnight, Auntie Luna," Spike yawned and closed his eyes as he snuggled against the taller woman. "Auntie? Do you want to use the pool tomorrow?

Luna giggled. "We'll see about that, young man."

"Okay. Love you, Auntie."

Luna cuddled him up before replying. "I love you too, Spikey," she kissed his head again. _Heh… this ain't half bad. Maybe I'll actually enjoy tonight's sleep?_ Was her last thought before she turned off the light and a moment later, darkness took her.

End.


End file.
